Filter-press.



No. 818,154. PATENTED APR. 17, 1906.

' M. BKENBERG.

FILTER PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1904.

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M. EKENBERG.

FILTER PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

subject of the Kin MARTIN EKENBERG, OF STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN.

FILTER-PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 17, 1906.

Application filed November 3, 1904. Serial No. 231,291.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, MARTIN EKENBERG, a of Sweden and Norway, and aresident of tockholm, Sweden, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Filter-Presses, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to that class of filtering mechanisms wherein theseparated fluid is forced under pressure through interstices too smallto allow the solid matter to pass. In constructing such presses it hasnot heretofore been found possible, so far as I am aware, to attainthree important requisites in one apparatus-namely, strength anddurability, erfect separation of the fluid from the solid matter, andthe ability to filter quickly a large quantity of fluid. The pressherein described has these requisites: It is strong and durable, it willfilter rapidly, it will effect a very thorough separation of the fluidfrom the solid matter, and it is selfcleaning in a high degree.

The novelty of the invention resides partly in the construction of thefilter-plates, partly in the construction whereby the press becomesself-cleaning and delivers the solid material as the filtering proceeds,and partly in certain details of construction, which will be hereinafterdescribed.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of theinvention, Fig ure 1 is a side elevation of a double filter-pressconstructed according to this invention, the press at the right being invertical section at line 00 in Fig. 2; and Fig. 2 is a plan of the same,the press at the right being in horizontal section at line 90 in Fig. 1.These views are on a relatively small scale. Fig. 3 is a transversevertical section of a press on a larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2, theplane of the section being taken substantially at line 01: in Fig. 4.Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken substantially at line 13in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan taken at line 00 in Fig. 4. Fig. 6is a perspective view of one of the laminae of the filter-plate, andFig. 7 is a fragmentary view of a part of one of the grooved backingplates or blocks of the filter. Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a singlefilter-press of more simple construction. Fig. 8 is a sectional plan,the plane being indicated by line 90 in Fig. 9; and Fig. 9 is across-section at line 90 in Fig. 8.

filter-presses operated alternately from a reciprocating engine, A and Adesignate the presses, B the engine, and C the supporting bed-plate. Asseen best in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the press consists of a base-piece 1; acappiece 2 two upright side plates 3 3, the respective ends of whichoccupy recesses in the cap and base pieces; the filter-plates 4 4,applied to the inner faces of the side plates and also occupying therecesses in the cap and base pieces; bolts 5, which extend down throughall of parts, as shown; a flat piston 6, which plays between the twofilter-plates in a space 8, Figs. 3 and 5, and means for supplying thefluid to the space 8 for the purpose of filtering it. The space betweenthe recesses in both the cap-piece and base-piece equals the width ofthe space 8 and also the thickness of the iston 6, and the lates 3 pressthe filter-p ates up to the sl foulders formed by said recesses, beingdriven in by suitable wedges 7 or the like. The filterplates 4constitute a very im ortant feature of the press, and as they are a ikea particular description of one of them will suflice. Each filter-plateis composed of a plurality of thin metal sheets, superposed and clampedmore or less forcibly between the cap and base plates, as clearly seenin Fig. 3, the pressure being capable of variation by adding to orreducing the number of the sheets employed. Obviously the tighter ormore firmly the sheets are pressed together the smaller or morecontracted will be the filtering interstices between them. Preferablythese sheets will be very thinsay about 0.100 millimeter, for exampleandthe resistance of the filter-plate to the pressure used for forcing afluid through the filtering interstices will vary according to the widthof the sheets used in forming the filter-plate. In Fig. 6 one of thesesheets or lamina is shown detached, and this View, taken in connectionwith Figs. 3, 5, and 7, shows the means employed for leading off thefiltered fluid. In the back or outer edge of the sheet or lamina (L inFig. 6) are recesses or notches 8, which register with upright grooves9, Fig. 7, in the inner faces of the plates 3, and thus form passagesfor the fluid leading down to channels 10 in the basepiece, as seen inFig. 3. The fluid flows off at a suitable outlet-passage 11, arranged inany convenient way. The piston 6 moves in a path parallel to the planesof the sheets or laminae, as herein shown, and its path is at rightangles to that of the flow of fluid from the space or chamber sthat isto say, the piston moves lengthwise of the sheets and the fluid flowsout widthwise thereof. At each end of the filter-plates is a suitablepacking 12 for the piston. The fluid material to be filtered is suppliedby a pipe 13, which connects with a chamber 14 in the cap-piece 2,through a passage in the latter, and the cham 'ber 14 connects with thechamber 8 of the press by a port 15, adapted to be closed by a valve 16,movable up and down in suitable guides in the chamber 14. This valve hasa stem 17, which carries at its upper end a piston 18, Fig. 3, playingin a cylinder 19, mounted on the ca -piece, as clearly shown in Figs. 3and 4. bviously if the piston be moved up, as in Fig. 3, the valve 16will be lifted and the port 15 opened and that if it-be moved down, asin Fig. 4, the valve will be moved down and said port closed.

The operation of the double or duplex press will now be described.

Between the presses A and A is the engine B, which may be aliquid-engine, with a cylinder 20, a piston 21, playing therein, and apiston-rod 22, carrying at its respective ends the pistons 6 of therespective presses. The usual valve devices will be or may be employedfor admittin liquid to and exhausting it from the cy inder of theengine; but these have not been shown, as they are well known and formno specific part of the present invention. It will suffice to say thatthe liquid in the engine imparts a regular reciprocating movement to thepiston-rod 22, thus retracting one of the press-pistons 6, while itadvances the other press-piston. A cock-controlled pipe 23 connects theupper end of the cylinder 19 of press A with the lower end of thecorresponding cylinder of press A, and a similar pipe 24 connects theupper end of the cylinder 19 of the press A with the lower end of thecorresponding cyl inder of press A A branch pipe 23* leads from the pipe23 to the left-hand end of the engine-cylinder, and a branch pipe'24'"leads from the pipe 24 to the right-hand end of the engine-cylinder.When liquid under pressure is admitted to the right-hand end of theengine-cylinder, it flows in part through the branch 24 to the pipe 24,and thence to the under side of the piston 18 of press A and to theupper side of the piston 18 of press A. This has the effect to close thevalve 16 of press A while the compressing-piston 6 of this press isadvancing and operating and to open the valve 16 of press A and whilethe compressing-piston 6 of this latter press is being retracted. Thuswhile the filtering process in press A is goin on the valve 16 thereofcuts off the influx of the fluid mixture to be filtered, and while thecompressing-piston of press A is being withdrawn the valve 16 thereof isopened to permit the chamber 8 to fill with such fluid mixture. Theoutlet end (e in Fig. 5) of the chamber s will be at starting stopped orclosed by any suitable means, so that the chamber will retain the liquidsubstance until the pressure of the piston 6 produces a cake of thesolider material. Afterward the closure may be removed, as the lug orstopper formed by the cake of soli material will serve to resist thepressure, one cake forcing the other out in the alternating movement ofthe piston 6. In order to increase the resistance-of the cake to thepressure, the press is or may be provided with pointed screws 25, Fig.5, set in the side plates, as clearly shown. The screws split the cakeas it is being forced out and obviously increase the resistance to itsmovement.

The two presses and the intermediate engine are connected by tie-rodsand nuts 26, as clearly shown. These rods and the bolts 5 pass ratherloosely through the parts of the presses, so as to admit of someadjustment of the parts. This looseness is effected by mak ing the holesor bores, through which the bolts and rods pass, somewhat larger thanthe latter.

In the simpler form of filter-press shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the principleis the same as in the form already described. In this construction thepress has a base-piece 1; a cappiece 2 bolts 5 with square bodies whichserve as a backing for the filter-plates 4; end blocks 27 and 27 intowhich the filter-plates are shouldered at their ends, as seen at 28 inFig. 8,in order to distance them and form the press-chamber s, and apiston 6 operatable by any means or power. The fluid substance to befiltered is introduced at 13 and this supply-inlet is controlled by asuitable valve 16*, which may be operated by hand. The filter-plates areconstructed precisely the same as before described, and a screw orscrews 25 are set in the end block 27. These serve, primarily, to holdin place a stopper or plug 29 when the press is started and may bedriven out into the passage to serve as obstruction, in the same manneras the screws 25 when the plug 29 shall have been removed.

The movement of the compressing-piston in the manner shown serves tokeep the inner surfaces of the filter-plates quite clean, and this is animportant feature with this class of filtering devices.

Obviously the special disposition of the filter-plates, as shown in thedrawingsthat is, with the planes of the interstices between the laminaehorizontal and the compressing-piston moving in a horizontal pathis notessential to the invention. Other dispositions would give good results.

Having this described my invention, I claim 1. A filter-plate, for usein a 'lilter-press, composed of a plurality of very thin and flexiblesheets of metal disposed face to face,

sisdt i and means for pressing said sheets together with a regulablepressure.

2. A filter-press, having a filter-plate composed of a plurality of thinand flexible sheets of non-absorbent material disposed face to face, andmeans for pressing said sheets together, said filter-plate forming awall of the press-chamber with the edges of the sheets ber, and acompressing-piston playing in said chamber, said piston movable in apath substantially at right angles to the path of the fluid through theinterstices between said sheets.

4. A filter press, having a base piece, a cappiece, two filter-plates oflaminated structure between said base and cap pieces and forming sidewalls of the press-chamber, a valve-controlled inlet to said chamber forthe fluid mixture to be filtered, and a reciproeating compressing-pistonplaying in said press-chamber, the path in which said piston travelsbeing in a direction substantially at right angles to that in which thefluid flows through the interstices between the laminae of thefilter-plates.

5. A filter-press, having a recessed basepiece, a recessed cap-piece,two side plates, two laminated filter-plates 4, at the respective sidesof the press-chamber, said plates being backed by said side plates andcompressed between said base and cap pieces,

valve-controlled means for supplying fluid to said press-chamber, and acompressing-pis ton having a reciprocating movement in said chamberlongitudinally of the laminae of the filter-plates.

6. A filter-press, having a base-piece 1, a cap-piece 2, with asupply-inlet for the fluid, a valve-chamber, and a port leading from thevalve-chamber to the press-chamber, the side plates 3, the laminatedfilter-plates 4, form= ing the sides of the press-chamber and eachcomposed of superposed thin sheets of metal pressed together betweensaid base-piece and cap-piece, a compressingpiston 6 in thepress-chamber, a valve 16 in the valve-chamber and controlling the portleading to the press-chamber, and means for imparting al= ternatereciprocating movements to the said valve 16 and piston 6, as set forth.

7. A filter-press, having a press-chamber open at its ends and with itssides formed of filter-plates 4, a reciprocating compressing pistonextending into said chamber from one of its open ends and means forresisting the forcing out of the cake of solid material at the oppositeend of said chamber.

8. A filter-press, having a compressing chamber, a reciprocating pistonwhich fits and plays in said chamber, and a filter-plate forming a sideof said chamber, said plate be ing made up of thin, superposed sheets ofmetal with their edges presented to a side of the piston.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 20th day ofOctober, 1904, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARTIN EKENBERG.

Witnesses ERNST SVANGVIST, ROBERT APELGREN.

